The next day, Jaegyeom left the house early in the morning as usual in time for school.
He got on bus number 17 as usual and sat in the seat right behind the driver’s seat and looked out the window. The bus drove and drove along the familiar road. Every time he suddenly turned his head, the number of passengers in the bus increased. More than half of them, like Jaegyeom, were students in school uniforms.
“This stop is at the intersection of Daeryung High School. The next stop is…”
When the announcement came out of the speaker, the students who were sitting in their seats all stood up. All the students in school uniforms alighted the bus in a mass like the ebb tide. Except for one person. The bus driver, who was glancing at his rearview mirror, called out to Jaegyeom, who was sitting right behind him.
“Student, what are you doing without getting off?”
Jaegyeom, who had been sitting blankly, turned his head belatedly. He knew in his head that he had to get off immediately to fulfill the month he had promised. But now, Jaegyeom was feeling a great gravitational pull. It felt like a huge boulder was pressing down on him. He didn’t have the confidence to bear this heavy weight.
“Are you not going to get off?”
“No, I’m not getting off.”
So, Jaegyeom decided to go with the flow and not think about the future. Even if the next stop was a cliff, he didn’t want to get off now. On the contrary, if it was a cliff, he was willing to fall off a hundred times more. Jaegyeom really didn’t want to go to school today.
The driver made a puzzled face and closed the back door without saying anything. As the bus started running past the school, Jaegyeom just stared out the window. Unfamiliar signboards scraped past Jaegyeom’s pupils. Time passed at a speed similar to the rapidly passing scenery.
Last night, he tossed and turned in a dark room for a long time. All around him was still. However, Jaegyeom couldn’t sleep because his ears were ringing. Only he could hear the faint, unpleasant sound. ‘Fooled, you were fooled, fooled again, fooled by exorcists again, fooled like a fool…’
Yoon Taehee asked him, ‘Are you angry?’, and as he said, he was angry. But apart from that, Jaegyeom couldn’t understand why he was so angry and disappointed. The fact that Yoon Taehee was both a gwijae and an exorcist had nothing to do with him.
Yoon Taehee hid his identity and approached him. The good news was that since he noticed in advance, nothing happened yet. Then it was simple. He didn’t have to see him in the future. If he hung around him again, he could just beat him up like yesterday, and if he was quiet, he could just not care.
Even if Yoon Taehee was a really ordinary librarian, he would no longer see him after the promised month passed. Still, he was very disappointed and felt nasty. His heart felt rough as if it had been rubbed with sandpaper. Jaegyeom was angry with himself once again.
In the past and now, exorcists all were…
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Memxlcu yjrajgvr.”
Cr Ajfusfbw delfais mibrfv tlr fsfr jcv ajixfv ab tlwrfio.
“Vaevfca, kf’nf jgglnfv ja atf ijra rabq.”
Ktf yer rabqqfv ja atf afgwlcji. Ajfusfbw, ktb kjr xlmxfv bea, kjcvfgfv jgbecv ecojwliljg ragffar. Lf tjv j qijmf ab mbwf ogbw, yea cbktfgf ab ub. Lf kjcvfgfv jlwifrris ktfgfnfg tf mbeiv. Lf kjcafv ab kjix jcsktfgf. Lf vlvc’a kjca ab atlcx jybea jcsatlcu cbk.
Occasionally, when he saw a bench, he would sit down and rest. But he didn’t stay in one place for long. He just walked and walked and walked. At some point, a sign caught Jaegyeom’s eyes. Seeing the writing on the signboard, Jaegyeom slowly slowed down.
“Meadow Library…”
It was a modest-sized neighborhood bookstore. The front of the bookstore was made of transparent glass, so you could see inside the store. A large bookshelf was crammed with new books. Jaegyeom, who had been peering through the glass, wandered around the store aimlessly.
Should he read a book? Suddenly, he remembered a book he had read in the library. Inside the bookstore, he saw several customers reading. After hesitating for a moment, Jaegyeom impulsively opened the store door and entered.
“Welcome.”
When the staff greeted him kindly, Jaegyeom just bowed his head without answering. A thin classical melody flowed from the speakers attached to the ceiling. The calm performance went well with the peaceful and quiet atmosphere of the bookstore.
Looking at the clock on the wall, it was time for the 5th period to begin. He had to go home at the same time as he normally did so that Mesani wouldn’t be suspicious. Since he left the house in his school uniform, he must have thought that he had gone to school.
He had nothing to do anyway, and nowhere to go. Jaegyeom planned to spend the rest of his time here. He walked around the bookstore as if he were taking a stroll. The smell of new books and the sunken air were not bad. Surprisingly, he felt that his mind gradually calmed down.
Just when he was lounging near the shelf and browsing books, Jaegyeom suddenly paused. It was because the fluorescently colored binding of a book caught his eye. On the strip of fluorescent color, there was written in large letters, “A must read for middle and high school students.” Jaegyeom unconsciously reached out and picked up the book.
He wondered if he should read it. After looking around for a while, Jaegyeom started reading on the spot. He was curious because of the words written on the bind. At a cursory glance, it seemed like a famous work, but it was unfamiliar to Jaegyeom. While Jaegyeom, who had been reading the sentences attentively, carefully turned the pages,
“Interesting?”
“Yeah.”
In response to the question that passed by quietly, Jaegyeom mumbled. In a few seconds, the hand that had been fiddling with the book stopped. Jaegyeom looked up from his book.
“…”
His eyes widened. Yoon Taehee was standing opposite where no one had been a moment ago. His face was hard to make out because he was wearing a white cap, but it was definitely Yoon Taehee. He was also holding a book in one hand. It was the same book Jaegyeom was reading.
“What are you doing here instead of going to school?”
Yoon Taehee asked jokingly. The question posed to Jaegyeom was also a valid question for Yoon Taehee himself, but he didn’t seem to have any special thoughts about that part. Unlike Jaegyeom, who was a little taken aback, Yoon Taehee was calm as usual.
“What is it, you?”
Jaegyeom, regaining his composure, took a slight step back. Yoon Taehee, who always wore a shirt, was wearing a black collared tee and ripped jeans. Besides, he was carrying a backpack, so at first glance, he looked like an ordinary college student.
“You left your bag, so I wanted to return it.”
He pointed to the backpack that was slung over his shoulder, as if it were his own. Only then did Jaegyeom recognize his bag. Come to think of it, he didn’t even realize he didn’t have a bag. It must have been left behind in the library yesterday. Jaegyeom admonished himself for being careless again.
“Okay, then give it to me and get lost.”
Jaegyeom said nonchalantly. However, Yoon Taehee pretended not to hear. He said that he had come to return the bag with his own mouth, and then suddenly started pretending to read.
“You picked a good book. I like this book too.”
“I said give me the bag and get lost.”
When Yoon Taehee feigned innocence, Jaegyeom’s face hardened at once. The other person slowly raised his head at the low voice that seemingly warned. Their gazes collided. It didn’t work… Yoon Taehee smiled slightly.
“Have you ever seen a stuffed genius?”
Have you ever seen a stuffed genius?
I am happy.
At a time like this, even love is pleasant. (‘Wings’ by Yi Sang)
Jaegyeom raised his eyes at Yoon Taehee’s unexpected words. It was a situation where he suddenly felt a sense of deja vu. It was the introduction to the book he had just been reading. Like the last time, Yoon Taehee memorized the sentences from the book.
“From the first sentence, I think it is well-written. What do you think?”
He put down the book he was holding. As he tilted his upper body slightly towards Jaegyeom, Jaegyeom, who had been keeping his mouth shut, widened the distance unhesitantly. Then, the smile gradually disappeared from Yoon Taehee’s face. His utterly expressionless face was cool, while one cheek was slightly swollen.
“However, I don’t think I would find it happy…”
Yoon Taehee, who was silent for a moment, added in a nonchalant tone.
“How does it feel to be stuffed? Jaegyeom.”
Jaegyeom raised his eyes very slowly. He felt an indescribable, vague sensation running up his spine as the meaningful words stabbed deep into his lungs deeply. The eyes of the two facing each other pierced each other. Yoon Taehee’s darkened eyes glowed with a hint of light.
“Maybe this will make you more willing to talk to me.”
Yoon Taehee leaned his upper body slightly and whispered.
“I know you are wary of being betrayed by the master you trusted and followed, but don’t push away too far. You know, I’m trying so hard. I came all the way here myself, so you should at least give me a chance to speak.”
In an instant, an unpleasant shudder passed through his backbone. Jaegyeom’s eyes shook fiercely.
Come on , why is it always a cliffhanger (╥﹏╥)
Thank you!
omg..
Absolutely loved “The wings” reference here. Suits Jaegyeom so well.
Thanks for the translation ❤️